Tools & Resources
A key component of the project is the development or refinement of tools and processes to assist NRM organisations to aid investment decision-making. This page has links to fact sheets that have information about the tool; when best to use it, how to use it, resources required and links to other resources or references.
Different tools or processes will be suited to different stages in the planning, implementation and review of an organisations investment.
Throughout the project, more tools will be developed and refined and added to this page.
| Decision Guide | Information for Planning & Evaluation | Processes for Planning & Evaluation | Related Projects & Examples |
Decision guide for tool selection
Under construction......
Information for planning and evaluation
2004 Country Matters - Social Atlas of Rural & Regional Australia
This publication (2004) describes social characteristics of non-metropolitan Australia, including population, employment, household, income and education. Data is drawn primarily from the 2001 and 1996 censuses.
http://affashop.gov.au/product.asp?prodid=12699
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource
Economics (ABARE)
ABARE is an economic research agency of the Australian Government which provides rigorous independent economic research analysis and forecasting for our primary industries. Their website features packaged and interactive data, research reports, conference papers and commodity reports available for download.
Home page: http://www.abareconomics.com/
ABARE’s interactive data service, AGSurf, includes data on farm management and socioeconomic indicators by region, industry and zone: http://www.abareconomics.com/interactive/agsurf/
ABARE also carry out triennial NRM surveys, the most recent having been undertaken in 2004/05. All reports are available on the website and the 2001/02 survey results are available as interactive data sets ('Resource Management Data Survey Package 2001/02') as well as in a published report. Both can be accessed at: http://www.abareconomics.com/ame/lrm2/lrmalt.asp
The subsequent report, Australian Farms - Natural Resource Management in 2004-05 (published 2006), can be accessed at:
http://www.abareconomics.com/publications_html/crops/crops_06/nrm_ausfarms.pdf
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HCC/07-102sum.html
Accessibility and Remoteness Index of Australia (ARIA)
The ARIA index is produced by Department of Health and Ageing, and is a measure of remoteness and accessibility which can be used to compare different rural areas' access to services.
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/publishing.nsf/Content/health-ari-aria.htm
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
The ABS is Australia’s official statistical organisation, providing statistics on social and economic issues. The ABS gathers census data, provides data via its website and provides a range of more detailed statistical/data services. Available ABS data includes census products and data relating to population, economics and industry, as well as social and environmental data at national, state and regional levels.
Home page: www.abs.gov.au
Basic information on how to find and use census data can be found at:
http://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf//web+pages/Census+Data
Australian Social Science Data Archive
The Australian Social Science Data Archive is located in the Research School of Social Sciences at The Australian National University. It collects data relating to social, political and economic affairs from many different types of organisations including universities, market research companies and government.
http://assda.anu.edu.au/index.html
Bureau of Rural Sciences (BRS)
BRS provides advice, data and information services regarding rural industries and communities to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and other organisations. The website contains publications as well as some online tools.
Community Builders.nsw
This website is targeted towards people involved in community level social, economic and environmental renewal. It contains links to information (statistics and other data) to assist with understanding communities. The 'Regional and Rural Australia' page provides practical resources, case studies and related reading.
http://www.communitybuilders.nsw.gov.au/
Department of Sustainability and Environment Victoria – interactive maps
There are several types of maps available on this site, including the Biodiversity Interactive map, Catchment Information Mapper, and the Land and Survey Spatial Information map. These interactive maps allow users to zoom in and out, pan around the map, identify features in the map, perform queries on databases, generate reports, link to other sites and create printable maps (in PDF) based on themes. The tool contains spatial data, including a Landsat satellite image of the State, which can be useful for understanding the surrounds of rural communities.
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/dse/dsencor.nsf/childdocs/-
5FD09CE028D6AA58CA256DAC0029FA1A?open
Department of Sustainability and the Environment Victoria -
know your area
This site provides data on the people within an area and how they live. It contains current data regarding population, land, housing, employment and other facts about Local Government Areas. There are also useful links to other government projects, local councils, libraries and other sites.
http://www.doi.vic.gov.au/DOI/knowyour.nsf
National Key Centre for Social Applications of GIS (GISCA)
GISCA aims to develop and demonstrate a wide range of social and economic applications of spatial information systems. Some services are accessible online free of charge, and the organisation also offers short courses. Research areas include: small area population projections; housing supply and demand; population migration; ARIA and accessibility indices; GIS; and defining social service catchments.
NSW Natural Resource Atlas
The Atlas is a comprehensive catalogue of authoritative, significant natural resource databases and geographic information held by the NSW Government. It allows users to select a place and generate a detailed map showing topographical features or land use against a wide range of variables (e.g. residential, agricultural, natural parks). Users can choose the variables from a list and include place names, state and local government boundaries, and major roads for reference.
http://nratlas.nsw.gov.au/wmc/savedapps/nratlas
Office of Economic and Statistical Research, Queensland
A source of local government area profiles and community profiles containing demographic data.
Department of Local Govt and Planning, Queensland - Planning Information and Forecasting Unit
Planning Information and Forecasting Unit is a leading provider of strategic planning information and analysis. The website is a source of data on population estimates, projections, population and housing factsheets, residential land activity and local government maps.
http://www.lgp.qld.gov.au/?id=88
Regional Matters - An Atlas of Regional Victoria
Developed in 2005 by the Department of Infrastructure, Victoria, this Atlas aims to highlight issues of concern to those interested in the impact of change on regional areas. The Atlas comprises demographic, social, economic and environmental information under the themes of population, jobs and industry, housing, road and rail transport, health services, education, and water resources.
http://www.information.vic.gov.au/resources/atlas/index.html
Social profile of Australian dairy regions
This Rural Industries Research Development Corporation (RIRDC) report (published 2004) provides an overview of key socio-economic characteristics of the population living in Australia’s dairy production areas, based on the analysis of Census data. It is an example of how ABS data has been used to profile regions.
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HCC/04-107.pdf
Social profile of people employed in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industries
This RIRDC publication (2004) provides a snapshot of key demographic and socio-economic characteristics of people employed across Australia in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry sector between 1996 and 2001. It is based on data from the ABS Census of Population and Housing. Comparisons are made across regions and over time for metropolitan and non-metropolitan Australia.
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HCC/04-122.pdf
Processes for planning and evaluation
Capacity Building Resource Manual
This manual prepared by the Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building presents a framework for developing, implementing and evaluating capacity building projects and activities.
Case studies and an action planning process are included.
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HCC/07-102sum.html
Community Engagement
Several agency websites provide information on, and processes for community engagement and effective consultation. Resources include handbooks, methods, survey results, case studies and strategic plans.
MDBC and BRS: Terms of Engagement: A toolkit for community engagement for the Murray Darling Basin
http://affashop.gov.au/PdfFiles/PC12825.pdf
NSW Department of Environment and Conservation: Guide for Engaging Communities in Environmental Planning and Decision Making (2006)
http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/education/spd_edu_comengagement.htm
NSW Planning System
http://www.nswplanning.org.au/pia/engagement/index.htm
QLD Get Involved – share your knowledge
http://www.getinvolved.qld.gov.au/share_your_knowledge/index.html
VIC Department of Sustainability and Environment Victoria Effective Engagement: building relationships with community and other stakeholders (2005)
http://www.dpi.vic.gov.au/DSE/wcmn203.nsf/childdocs/-
77F54463EE8D06B3CA257036001508E7-
A5E28FFDBEF43DD6CA25707C0014FA62?open
VIC Department for Victorian Communities: Building stronger communities
http://www.dvc.vic.gov.au/web14/dvc/dvcmain.nsf/
headingpagesdisplay/building+stronger+communities
WA Citizenscape
http://www.citizenscape.wa.gov.au/index.cfm
WA Department for Planning and Infrastructure
http://www.dpi.wa.gov.au/727.asp
Compiling regional social and economic profiles: a practical
guide for regional NRM bodies
Produced by the Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Water QLD (2004), this publication was prepared to provide practical guidance to the Regional Natural Resource Management Bodies of Qld for compiling regional economic and social profiles when designing NRM plans and investment strategies. It outlines the social and economic characteristics to include in a profile, suggested sources of data, and suggested characteristics.
http://www.regionalnrm.qld.gov.au/research_sips/sips/social_economic/
pdf/s_e_profiles.pdf
Ongoing Advisory Panel Fact sheet
An advisory panel (or reference group, steering committee) is a group of individuals convened to meet on a regular basis over time to provide advice.
Fact Sheet 2. Ongoing Advisory Panel
Pareto Analysis Fact sheet
Pareto analysis is a technique based on the Pareto Principle which states that 80 percent of problems or effects are produced by 20% of causes.
Program Logic Fact sheet
A program logic model is a “picture” of how your project or program will work. Logic models link program outcomes (short-, medium-, and long-term) with program outputs and inputs, while articulating the assumptions of the program.
Program Logic Software
DoView is easy to use modeling software. It is purpose built for building professional logic models. This software is currently used by a number of the regions participating in the project.
Regional Knowledge Resource Kit
The site has recently been launched by The Knowledge for Regional NRM project being run by Land and Water Australia under Natural Heritage Trust funding. It is an interactive online resource for learning and skills development in information and knowledge management for NRM. It includes guidance on developing a regional knowledge strategy.
http://www.rkrk.net.au/index.php/Main_Page
SIF3 Decision Tree
The SIF3 (Salinity Investment Framework) ‘2 pager’ outlines a decision tree to help determine what types of responses (Extension, Incentives, Penalties, Engineering, Technology development, Other R&D, Land retirement, No action) are most suitable for different situations. Other papers on this website provide insights to aspects of fostering change and the capacity of regional NRM bodies to use science in decision making.
http://cyllene.uwa.edu.au/~dpannell/sif3.htm
Social and Economic Profile Fact sheet
Profiling provides a summary of the key political, social, demographic economic and biophysical characteristics of a community’s region and its people.
Fact Sheet 3. Social and Economic Profile
Socio-Economic Tools, Guides, Fact Sheets and Reports
This website presents a wide range of resources relating to socio-economic decisions in regional NRM.
http://www.regionalnrm.qld.gov.au/research_sips/sips/
social_economic/publications.html
Social Innovations in Natural Resource Management: a
handbook of social research in natural resource management
in Queensland
This Queensland Government Department of Natural Resources and Mines handbook provides a summary of social research in NRM underway or recently completed in Queensland up to 2004.
http://www.regionalnrm.qld.gov.au/research_sips/
sips/social_economic/se03_reports.html
Sourcebook for social and economic surveys: Assessing landmanagers’ capacity to change and adopt sustainable management practices
This is a Bureau of Rural Sciences report, prepared for the National Land & Water Resources Audit. It was commissioned to enable expertise in designing and implementing social and economic surveys for NRM to be drawn together for the benefit of regional bodies, industry and government policy officers.
http://www.nlwra.gov.au/library/scripts/objectifyMedia.aspx?file=pdf
/101/40.pdf&siteID=9&str_title=Source%20book%20final%20for%
Stakeholder Attitude and Influence Analysis Fact sheet
This analysis is a time and cost effective way to identify the key stakeholders for any particular goal or objective, and how they may be best involved.
Fact Sheet 4. Stakeholder attitude and influence analysis
Stakeholder Identification Fact sheet
There is range of techniques to assist in the identification of the stakeholders for your organisation. It is useful to utilise these techniques to develop a list of stakeholders, prior to developing more detailed stakeholder profiles.
Fact Sheet 7. Stakeholder identification
Stakeholder Profile Fact sheet
A stakeholder profile should be developed in the early stages of a planning cycle. It will be a useful, ongoing reference for planning, implementation and evaluation, enabling staff to better understand who they should be and are engaging.
Trying to understand ‘why’ people change land use
This is a proceeding of the 2002 Conference on Rural Land Use Change by Quentin Farmar-Bowers (Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria). It discusses the theory and drivers behind the land use decision system.
http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/CA256F310024B628/0/3BABE5B8382AF91ECA2
56FEF001FA3A5/$File/Farmar+Bowers.pdf
What Works and Why?
This fact sheet from the Cooperative Venture for Capacity Building provides best practice guidelines for five extension models: facilitation, technological development, training, information and consultant. The intent is that the five models be used in an integrated manner. The underlying concept in this paper is of ‘extension’ being a means for building awareness, knowledge, skills and confidence in order to foster adoption of changed practices.
http://www.rirdc.gov.au/capacitybuilding/cvcb-factsheet-1-04.pdf
Related project and examples
Salinity Investment Framework III (SIF3)
The SIF3 project is working with governments (national, state and local) and with regional bodies responsible for salinity investments to bridge the gap between state-of-the-art knowledge and action. SIF3 integrates hydrological, biological, economic and social research to help catchment managers understand how best to respond to dryland salinity in different circumstances.
http://cyllene.uwa.edu.au/~dpannell/sif3.htm
Watershed Torbay Action
Watershed Torbay was a four year project which developed and implemented a comprehensive restoration plan for the Torbay catchment in WA. The site contains publications and reports on the catchment planning process, and covers aspects such as community consultation and practice change.